Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College women's volleyball team (3-15, 1-4 E8) took on a pair of Empire 8 Conference teams in Nazareth College (14-5, 6-0 E8) and Hartwick College (6-14, 1-5 E8) today at the Empire 8 Tri-Match, hosted by EC at Speidel Gymnasium.  Elmira dropped the opening match of the day to the Golden Flyers of Nazareth but bounced back in their second match against Hartwick, rallying for a 3-2 victory. 
 
Ashley Heiman '16 had a career day as she totaled 27 kills in the two matches, including a 17-kill effort against Hartwick, a career-high for the third-year middle hitter.  Also having a career day for Elmira was Samantha Hawksley '16 who made a career-high 17 digs against Hartwick. 
 
Match One Recap
Elmira College 1, Nazareth College – 25-17, 23-25, 25-18, 25-16
In the 11:00 a.m. match, Elmira fell in four sets to perennial Empire 8 Conference powerhouse Nazareth College, 3-2.  Elmira dropped the first set but rallied in the second set, evening things at one apiece.  In the second set, the Soaring Eagles used a 6-0 run early in the set to take a six point lead, which eventually turned into a 25-23 victory.  Unfortunately for the Purple and Gold, the Golden Flyers would regroup and win the final two sets.  
 
Heiman led the Elmira offense with 10 kills on 22 attempts for a hitting percentage of .318.  Third-year setter Sami Hanes '16 logged 24 kills along with 10 digs while fellow classmate Kelsey Ross '16 recorded a team-leading 12 digs.
 
Match Two Recap
Elmira College 3, Hartwick College 2 – 22-25, 25-23, 28-30, 27-25, 16-14
The second match of the day proved to be a special one for Elmira as the Purple and Gold snapped a 13-match losing streak in a thrilling five setter.  Elmira got off to a fast start, taking an 18-11 lead in the opening set but the Hawks of Hartwick would chip away at the lead, using a 5-0 run late in the set to take a control of the set and eventually win it 25-22. 
 
After dropping the opening set by just three points, the Soaring Eagles evened the match at 1-1.  In the second set, both teams would trade leads but it would be Elmira who would take control of the set thanks to a 6-0 run that gave the Purple and Gold a 19-14 lead.  However, Hartwick eventually evened the set at 23-23 but two big plays by Paola Ortiz '16 sealed the second set for EC at 25-23.  On the 23-23 point, Ortiz would bury a kill and followed it up with one of her match's two aces on set point.
 
Elmira had the chance to take a two-sets-to-one lead but the Hawks squandered EC's hopes as Hartwick pulled out a tight one at 30-28.  The Soaring Eagles controlled the majority of the set and led by as many as three points at 23-20.  To make things even more chaotic, Elmira had three set points, including one at 28-27.  On that match point , it looked as though EC won it on a hitting error by the Hawks, but a late call by the officials signaled that an Elmira player touched the ball on the way out which prolonged the set and eventually turned into a 30-28 win for Hartwick. 
 
The outcome of the fourth set looked bleak as Hartwick took a convincing 17-12 lead.  However, Elmira would outscore the Hawks 15-8 from that point, forcing a fifth set to decide the outcome of the match.
 
In the fifth and final set, Elmira came out on fire, winning 13 of the set's first 18 points, taking an overwhelming 13-5 lead.  Hartwick would not go away without a fight however as the Hawks won seven straight points to cut the Elmira lead to 13-12. 
 
It looked as though Hartwick was going to continue their run but in the one of the biggest points of the match, Elmira's Hanes stepped out of her role as the setter and showed her leaping ability with solo block that put an end to Hartwick's run, giving the Soaring Eagles a 14-12 edge. 
 
Hartwick would again claw back and win the next two points to even the set at 14-14, erasing Elmira's once hefty eight point lead.  Fortunately for Elmira, back-to-back kills by Ortiz and Kierstin Derr '16 sealed a 16-14 win for the Soaring Eagles, giving EC their first conference win of the season. 
 
Three Elmira players logged double-digit kills, including Heiman who had a career-high 17 kills.  Ortiz and Derr were the other two with double-digit kills as they recorded 15 and 12, respectively.  Hanes orchestrated the Elmira offense with a season-high 49 assists.
 
Defensively, Ross led Elmira with 18 digs while Hawksley made a career-high 17 digs.  Amanda Blinkinsop '16 and Derr also logged 14 digs apiece. 
 
The Soaring Eagles will be back in action this Wednesday, October 8th when Elmira hosts Alfred University for an Empire 8 Conference battle.  Match-time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Elmira's Speidel Gymnasium.